CV Joins National Rally for Ukraine
More than 60 people assembled in Castro Valley this past Saturday to show support for the Ukrainian people and to ask the US government to send resources aimed at ending the month-long Russian invasion.
Carrying signs asking for peace and supporting flags of both the United States and Ukraine, the attendees at the corner of Castro Valley Boulevard and Redwood Road (also known as Peace Corner) chanted pro-Ukrainian slogans and encouraged passersby to donate to helping refugees.
Igor Tregub, whose family fled Ukraine in 1990 to escape the persecution of Jewish people in the former Soviet Union says the voices in Castro Valley are being heard halfway around the world.
“Everyone back there is very grateful for the visibility, turnout, and solidarity that is being put together by the good people of the Bay Area,” said Tregub.
In addition to helping the Ukrainian people, rally organizers are hoping to convince US lawmakers to support them with military resources like fighter jets and anti-missile defense systems that can prevent Russian bombs from landing on civilian targets.
Saturday’s rally in Castro Valley was one of the dozens of related events across the United States including Washington D.C., San Francisco, and other metro areas.
Attendees at the rally in San Francisco asked why the U.S. and NATO are waiting to do all that is necessary to stop him.
“Putin is a ruthless dictator who will not stop this genocide until he is forced to stop,” said Vira Iefremova Ph.D., a scientist, and researcher at UC Berkeley. “There is a moral imperative to defend Ukraine. How do you explain to a child in Kyiv that the might of the U.S. and N.A.T.O will protect a child in neighboring Poland, but not you?”
Meanwhile, US Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) returned from a 5-day bipartisan delegation of House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence members and staff to the Ukrainian border. While there, the Castro Valley-based congressman met with aid workers from around the world and Ukrainian families who have been forced to leave their homes.
“It was crushing to see the wickedness inflicted by Putin, which is why we must continue to provide the Ukrainian people with what they need to defend their skies and hold Putin accountable so he ends this cruel and unprovoked invasion,” Swalwell said in a statement.
And while the U.S. and NATO are coordinating efforts, Ukrainian-born residents say the governments of the world need to do more because Putin is getting more aggressive.
“The only thing a bully understands is force,” Tregub said.
The following organizations are currently active in Ukraine and are accepting donations:
UNICEF USA is assisting with medical services for children and families. (unicefusa.org/)
Water Mission is housing children and families alongside community partners. (watermission.org)
The UN Refugee Agency is working to provide cash assistance for resettlement. (give.unrefugees.org/)
CARE’s Ukraine Crisis Fund is rushing water, food, and hygiene kits to affected people in Ukraine. (care.org/)
CORE Response is on the ground in Poland supporting the immediate needs of people fleeing Ukraine in the wake of a massive humanitarian catastrophe. (coreresponse.org/)